MARK 12:1-12
Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’”

The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

In your face preaching
Barak Obama’s pastor has stirred controversy and condemnation over his harsh criticism of America. Jesus may have been more subtle that Rev. Wright, but the harshness of his words were not lost on these key spiritual (and to a significant extent political) leaders of his country, Israel.

Jesus accused them of criminal leadership. He laid at their feet, and the feet of their ancestors, habitual and violent rejection of God’s claim on their nation, and of Jesus himself as the final and unique messenger of God. He accused them with passion, not even waiting for their response to his question.

Who’s in control is the quintessential struggle of humanity. The first sin involved Adam and Eve taking for themselves the control of defining right and wrong. Control of land and wealth, moral and spiritual standards, traditions and customs have ignited conflicts of every imaginable level of intensity.

Accepting ultimate and rightful ownership by someone outside ourselves is the core issue for Jesus. His submission to the Father models it. He insists that we must give up any perceived rights to ourselves when he calls his followers to take up their own crosses, deny themselves, and follow him. He laments that Jerusalem would not submit to his authority so he could have spread his protective wings around them.

Recognizing that the earth is the Lord’s, that he is lord of the nations (King of kings), and that each person lives, moves and has their being in him – that none of us could exist except for him, this is the greatest spiritual challenge facing every member of the human race.

Creator and Sustainer of all that is, I choose to submit my entire person, body and soul to you. Get in my face when I am pigheaded or ignorant. Give me the grace to sacrifice my pride on the alter of humble submission to your ownership and control. - Mike Leamon

Failure to listen
Teachers, preachers, we all have the same trouble. People don’t listen. Students come to class every day and daydream or write notes, or listen to music but seldom listen to the lesson. People file into church Sunday after Sunday and if you ask them on Monday what the sermon was about they have no idea. People don’t listen. (I know I am exaggerating a little.)

Jesus must have felt frustrated too. He tells a story and the disciples ask him what it means. He teaches the crowds but they only see the food. The people completely miss his message. Ironically, the people who do understand are his enemies. The religious leaders, they understand what Jesus is talking about. He is talking about them! He is calling them out in front of the whole crowd. The people don’t seem to get it, but the religious people are fuming mad. So mad they want to kill Jesus, but he crowd likes Jesus.

I find the whole situation sad. The ones who understand are so set in their ways they refuse to apply what they have heard. What would have happened if the religious leaders had repented? What would happen if, when we understand the stories we are told, we repented and changed our ways? It is easy to get mad when you are the butt of the joke or story, but we have another choice. We can learn the lesson of the story and change our direction. We each have the power to change the story and write a different ending.

Author of the salvation story, thank you for telling me how my life’s story ended and offering me the opportunity to change the ending. With your help I want to continue to revise the ending of my story so the ending gets better and better. - Dan Jones

MARK 11:27-33
Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Rationalizing unbelief
“Excuses, excuses, you hear them every day…” the old song tells us. There certainly is a lot of truth in that song, especially if you have children. Imagine how God feels with his children. I think I hear more excuses in church than I do at home. I especially love the ones where we shift the blame to God. “I am not feeling led to do this.” “Let me pray about it.” Now before I go too far, let me assure you not everyone who tells me these things is using them as an excuse. Some people are sincere. Unfortunately, others use these words to spiritualize their unbelief or lack of action.

The Pharisees fell into this latter group. They were caught between a rock and a hard spot by Jesus’ question to them. On the one hand they feared the crowd, on the other, they did not want to believe what John had said. So they stalled. They gave an excuse. “We don’t know.” Baloney, they knew and refused to listen.

How often do we ignore God’s words to us and go on living in disobedience? How often do we stay away from a ministry opportunity and offer up excuses instead. Too often we are just the like the Pharisees, rationalizing our answers to best fit our plan for life instead of living in openness to God’s plan for life. Shame on us when we do. The authority Jesus exercised comes from the surrendered life not the rationalized one.

Jesus, I want to live in obedience to you every day. Help me not to rationalize my actions or attitudes when they conflict with your will for my life. May my first response be confession and repentance followed by faith in action. - Dan Jones

Authority to reaarange
Jesus has a habit of walking into places and creating upheaval. He’s just trashed the area where people sold sacrificial animals and changed currency. Now those in charge want to know who gave him the authority to do that, not to mention coming into these sacred precincts and teaching the kind of stuff he does.

Invite Jesus into our lives and this is pretty much what we can expect. In fact, if there isn’t upheaval and at least an uncomfortable feel to it, (if not initial resistance) perhaps he’s not really present!

Jesus embraces authority as if he were God. He takes for himself the right to assess the goodness of everything. His diagnosis? Just about everything that exists needs to be recalibrated. And he will insist that they be rearranged according to his own ideas.

So Jesus tells the Temple leaders how to treat his Father’s house. Make room for outsiders and stop overcharging people!

Bet on it. Let Jesus into the interior spaces of our lives, and he’ll start telling us how to run the show. And we can be pretty much guaranteed, that, if we listen carefully and long enough, he’ll end up recalibrating everything about us.

Master, go ahead and rearrange whatever you want to in my life. Thanks for being patient when I resist or don’t understand. I accept you as the author of life and will trust your changes to produce deep and meaningful life in me. - Mike Leamon

MARK 11:20-25
The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

Withered prayers
Karen and I were just discussing prayer in the car this week. The question was why should we keep praying for things over and over? Do we trust God for the answers if we keep praying the same prayer repeatedly? In addition to the statements about belief in today’s passage we discussed the parable of the persistent widow. In today’s passage it seems we should pray once and believe it will happen. In the parable of the persistent woman it seems like we should never stop praying for the same thing. So what is it?

Well, Yes! We need to keep praying while simultaneously believing. The disciples’ amazement at the withered fig tree demonstrates they still did not understand the power of words proclaimed through the power of God. Jesus is not surprised the fig tree withered, he cursed it. He expected nothing less than destruction for it. Just as he expected nothing less than blessing for those he blessed. Jesus expected this because he was praying in the power of God not in human power.

Jesus was fully connected to the power of God. But we can be too. We can live in God’s power if we are willing to surrender our power to God. When we operate in this realm, our prayers are not our own, they are God’s. Our prayers are not our desires they are God’s desires.

Unfortunately, we are disconnecting ourselves from the power of God far too often. We sin; but Jesus tells us repentance and forgiveness restores the connection. When we are disconnected from God’s power our prayers will wither. Staying connected to God’s power available to us in the Holy Spirit is essential to prayers that go beyond the ceiling. So keep praying, but pray in belief that what you pray for will happen in God’s time.

God, I acknowledge far too often I pray and then immediately take back control of the situation I just prayed for. I admit, I pray and do not believe what I am praying for will take place at times. Help my unbelief to turn into belief and confidence in you each time I pray. - Dan Jones

Remove obstacles to blessing others!
Jesus treated the fig tree the way he treats us who, centered on our own lives, forget that we exist to bless others, and that, in so living, we ourselves find full life. Jesus will have nothing to do with people who fill their days, focus their creativity, and fashion their religion to merely benefit their own appetites!

But this is often exactly what we do with Jesus’ next words about prayer! We hear “ask for anything with enough faith and God will dutifully provide it. If I’m sick, ask in faith, and I’ll be healed. If I’m in financial trouble, ask in faith, and God will provide for me. If anything threatens me, my body, my wellbeing, or my – me, me, me life, ask in faith and God dutifully answer with, “your wish is my command!”

But this yanks Jesus’ words out of their context where we find Jewish spiritual leaders all wrapped up in themselves. In fact, we find the Palm Sunday crowd likewise focused on their own political yearnings.

Jesus offers us the amazing ability to move mountains through prayer and ask for and receive anything in the context of demanding that his people bless all the nations of the earth. The obstacles God yearns to remove for us are not obstacles to personal dreams, but obstacles to blessing the world. It is not that he doesn’t care for us or want to meet my personal needs. It is that he isn’t talking about that subject here.

So naturally Jesus concludes with talk about forgiveness. Grudge holding is one of those mountains he wants us to ask him to remove; as is bitterness and rage. We cannot bless others when ugly thoughts and emotions toward them dominate us.

Servant Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for me. Grant me all the miracles I need to happen in my life in order for me to follow you into being the same kind of servant to those around me, and those I will never meet. Remove whatever obstacles need removing and make me a blessing. - Mike Leamon

MARK 11:12-19
The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.

When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.

That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

The water leaked out
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” goes the proverb. True. But what if the horse wants to drink but the trough has no water?

Don’t get hung up on whether or not the fig tree should have had some fruit, at least in the beginning stages! If you want to be confronted with difficult, but helpful, reality, zero in on were Jesus was and what he did before and after he cursed the fig tree.

Jerusalem represented the very heart of the special bond between Jews and God. God called this nation into existence for the express purpose of bringing the world into right relationship with himself. But they became wrapped up in themselves. The day before, crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as the king who would kick out the hated Romans and give them back their own land. After cursing the fig tree, Jesus re-entered Jerusalem and disrupted all the commerce in the Temple, specifically the one area were non-Jews were allowed to worship; the Court of the Gentiles. But who cared whether or not Gentiles could worship the Jewish God. They were outsiders whom most considered unworthy even of personal contact.

God didn’t create the nation of Israel for their own good any more that God creates Christians (the Church) for their own good. He always calls groups of believers together for the good of the world. Believers, Jewish and Christian, easily become wrapped up in our own issues, comfort, and spiritual purity. Then when others come to us for the nourishment of God’s truth, all they get is a cold shoulder, or worse, our long list of (spoken or unspoken) petty requirements in order to become like us.

Merciful God, you want your people, and I’m grateful to be one of them, to offer spiritual nourishment to the world in season and out of season. Forgive me when I am like that fig tree and look ready to offer the passerby something spiritually nutritious, but when they get up close and personal, discover I have nothing of eternal worth to offer. - Mike Leamon

Everyone welcome
I don’t know anyone who worked harder to make room for everyone to have a place to worship than Jesus. I can’t imagine the disciples were very happy about Jesus’ tirade at the temple that day. They have just come into Jerusalem accompanied by crowds of adoring fans and Jesus goes and makes a scene at the temple. It certainly was not the way to make friends and favorably influence people in high places.

Jesus is not really concerned with what the people in high places think about him. He is concerned about people worshiping God. The outer court, the place Jesus clears, was for the Gentiles to worship and it has become so overcrowded with merchants there is no room for worship. That is until Jesus comes. Out with the money making merchants and in with people who will worship in spirit and in truth.

Passion of this kind seldom exists in the church. We talk about making space for everyone but tailor our programming to fit a certain demographic. Few outside that demographic will feel welcome enough to stay very long. We chalk it up to sociological forces, Jesus calls it unacceptable.

I wonder what it would look like for the church I pastor to be a place where we cared enough about everyone being able to worship that we radically eliminated anything that interfered with that goal. I wonder what Jesus would drive out of our church? What attitudes would I have to surrender? What comforts and conveniences would I have to surrender? After all having all those merchants in the court of the Gentiles was very convenient for the Jews.

Jesus, I want to become as passionate about worship as you are but I know it will not happen in me without your transforming power. I want to see your church be a place where everyone can worship you in spirit and in truth. Help us Lord to have the same passions you have. - Dan Jones

MARK 11:1-11
As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”

The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.

Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!”

So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

A Missed Double Entendre
In times past new kings rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as part of the coronation ceremony. They people remembered this. So, of course, they shouted, “blessing on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David.”

Problem is, they got the timing all wrong.

Jesus was, and is, king over all that exists. King of kings. Mark has shown us time and again the authority of Jesus. Everything bends to his command. Jesus was king of the Jews just as Pilate posted on his cross. But he was also king of the Romans. What people couldn’t grasp, including his disciples, was Jesus’ timing.

Jesus showed himself king over everything but he would not show himself king over everyone until those he would rule, willingly and freely, invited him to be their king. To usurp rule over unwilling people, was within Jesus’ ability, but not his character. He is servant king not autocratic king. He is love not oppression.

We sinful humans are too easily convinced to coerce others in the name of righteousness, abuse human dignity in the name of holiness. Not Jesus.

One day, in a new heaven and earth, populated by those who willingly and freely named him their king, Jesus will rule absolutely. All hail king Jesus! Until then, he will refuse to mount any throne except the ones made available to him in the hearts of individuals.

First comes the spiritual kingdom of the human heart. Only then comes the political rule of a new reality populated only by those who willingly gave him their hearts. The first century witnesses to the king on his donkey completely missed Jesus’ kingship of their hearts.

Lord Jesus, king of my heart I crown you now and forever. Thanks to your gift of faith, I trust you as the absolute ruler of all that I am or ever hope to be when you return and your kingdom is finally and fully established. - Mike Leamon

Unquestioned availability
I have lived in both the suburbs and in the country and there is a big difference. I grew up on a farm and lived in the country until I went to seminary in New Jersey. Moving to NJ was a major paradigm shift. There were some advantages of life in NJ. If you needed something last minute at the store you just went and picked it up. We lived 5 minutes from the mall and within walking distance of Wendy’s which was part of a small strip mall with a grocery store. Anything we needed was close by. Because of this we hardly ever asked to borrow something from our neighbors.

In the country, it was just the opposite. You were a good 15 to 20 minutes away from anything so if you needed a cup of sugar it was much easier to ask a neighbor than to go to town. If you have lived in the county very long you are soon welcomed into a community of openness. I have stopped at our neighbors with a tractor for a few gallons of diesel fuel when I thought I might run out. I have walked into someone home when they were gone to use the phone when I broke down. These actions were not just allowed they were welcomed by each neighbor.

I find this openness, this unquestioned availability in the story of the triumphal entry. Not in the disciples or even Jesus, but in the unnamed owners of the donkey. The owner, without question of how Jesus would use it, when Jesus would return the animal, or what they would receive in return, released his possession into Kingdom use.

I believe this unnamed person demonstrates how God wants each of us to live. Unquestioned availability. No list of demands, no rationalizations, no excuses; just prompt and generous availability with all that we have and are. God is always glorified when we live like this, just as Jesus was glorified when he rode into Jerusalem.

Lord, I want to live in unquestioning availability to you today. Everything I have and am belongs to you. Use me today to bring glory to your name. - Dan Jones

MARK 10:46-52
Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

Muting the blind
A man stopped into our church on Good Friday. He was from a town some 50 miles south of Avon and was going to Rochester to see some family. Friday he was asking for gas money to make the trip back home. He smelled of cigarette smoke and could have stepped into the part of any street dwelling homeless person in a Hollywood movie.

The churches in our town have a fund set up for just such occasions, so I dialed the number and asked if I could give this man a voucher for some gas and send him on his way. The lady on the other end of the line told me the program had been discontinued. I was on my own.

This was not the first time he had stopped into our church. I saw him last fall with a similar request. I imagine I will see him again.

I wrestle with what to do in those situations. I hate being taken advantage of. Like the disciples I want to hush up those shouting along the road begging for a handout from Jesus. Yet Jesus does not ask Blind Bartimaeus to stop shouting, Jesus asks his followers to stop talking and bring Bartimaeus to him. The tables have been turned again.

We don’t hear from Bartimaeus again. He disappears into the crowd. Did he stick with Jesus through Good Friday or take his healing handout and slip back into life as he knew it? I am not sure the answer to that question is really important to us. Sure we should have good follow-up techniques providing continued assistance to those we help. We should try to disciple each person with whom we share the Good News. But knowing that some will take our generosity and waste it cannot stop us from helping them.

I think more often than not the voice of doubt in our minds needs to be muted more than the voice crying out for help.

Jesus I want to become more like you; hearing and having compassion on those who are crying out for help. Keep me from muting those who need assistance and prevent my heart from becoming callused when I am taken advantage of. - Dan Jones

Bart’s smart move
Bart knew people didn’t much care for him. His eyes were unsighted and unsightly. Poverty left his clothes tattered and his smile, for the most part, toothless. “Here’s a coin, now disappear,” would have been most decent folks attitude. But this day was different. No amount of coins would have shut him up.

He may have been blind, but his hearing was keen and his memory sharp. When he heard the crowd getting excited about Jesus he remembered news about this man’s miracles that had trickled south from Galilee. This was his one chance to break out of blindness and poverty!

His loud persistence paid off. He could see! But he wasn’t about to accept Jesus’ gift and run. Of course Jesus gave him that option. This healing didn’t come with any strings attached – no expectations or demands. “Go,” Jesus said. Bart didn’t owe Jesus anything. But how could he leave this man? So, instead of going, he followed.

Smart move. If Bart followed Jesus to the crucifixion that next Friday, and hung around to receive the news of his resurrection, he would gain spiritual sight as well as physical. He’d be embraced by a new community of disciples who would introduce him to all the amazing truths about Jesus. He’d receive the gifts of faith, hope, and love. The sight Jesus gave him en route from Jericho to Jerusalem would only be the first of many, much greater, gifts!

Of course, none of this was required of Bart, that day the crowds tried to hush him. “Go.” No demands came with this healing. That’s one of the amazing qualities about Jesus. String free love. But Bart made the wise move and followed instead. And the better gifts transformed his life far more than restored eyesight.

Jesus, there are many gifts you give to me for which I am thankful. Today, I am especially thankful that you give them all without demand. You never dangle them over my head and use them to guilt trip or cajole me. I’ve never met anyone as unconditional as you. How could I not want to live my life in your company!? - Mike Leamon

MARK 10:35-45
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

“What is your request?” he asked.

They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Follow the Leader
Unlike James and John, few want positions that combine power with prestige. Most willingly give up the prestige of high position because of the headaches associated with it. Few willing give up power, however. So with the other 10 disciples we become indignant when we learn that someone in our own circle has made a play for power that will diminish our own influence.

This drive to power gives shape to a key misunderstanding of servant leadership. Groups often refuse to give enough power to leaders in order that they may fulfill their responsibilities – especially religious groups. We mistakenly think that power contradicts the nature of servant leadership. Jesus demonstrated otherwise, time and again through his ministry.

Servant leadership is not the inability or refusal to exercise power. Rather, servant leadership means that leaders have already learned how to submit to the authority of others. The worst leaders have never learned to be followers! Jesus demonstrated his understanding of submission when he prayed in Gethsemane, “Please let this cup of suffering pass from me, nevertheless, your will be accomplished.” None of us have so desperately wanted to avoid something that we sweat drops of blood, but submitted without rancor anyway.

Servant leadership is not management or the refusal to step ahead of the group and declare, come, this is the way we should go. Servant leadership is making leadership decisions that serve the needs of the many, to the point of sacrificing ones own preferences, interests and, sometimes even wellbeing. It is never self-serving, though it is control over ones self.

Jesus didn’t use his power to control others, but to determine his own leadership direction and insist that others, if they wanted a part of him, follow. He told Peter that he had to wash his feet if Peter wanted to be a part of Jesus’ cause. Here’s a classic example of the power of servant leadership. You may not recognize it, but you need me to wash your feet. You can choose to submit to my action or we can part company.

Supreme Leader, I submit to you and all those you place in authority over me. Cleanse me of any egoism that refuses to bend the knee to authority. And should you place me in a position of authority, may I serve by leading well. - Mike Leamon

Servant of All
The musical Cinderella is one of my wife’s favorite Broadway shows. There is something beautiful about watching an individual who has given their life in service to others finally get her reward. Those who have been lording it over get their just desserts and the oppressed are liberated and honored. Cinderella is a picture of how the Kingdom of God works.

The words about what is going to take place in Jerusalem have no more than escaped Jesus’ mouth than two disciples push their way to the top of the pecking order. They want to be number 1 and number 2 in the Kingdom. The only problem is they did not read the job requirements of being number 1 and number 2. They think it is about power and prestige. Jesus knows it is about service.

Jesus reminds them of this by pointing to his own mission. As the King in the Kingdom, Jesus is going to serve others by giving his life as a ransom. It would be like the President taking the place of a captured private in enemy hands. The Kingdom of God works backwards. The way to the top is through the bottom.

Jesus sacrifices himself as a ransom for us. He has no need of God’s forgiveness. He has done nothing wrong. The Bible tells us in Christ there was no sin found. He had lived the perfect life, fully in tune with God’s power and now he would take our place on the cross. Because of this Jesus will be exalted to the highest place and every knee will bow and every tongue confess He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus on this Good Friday I give you thanks for your great love and compassion for me that took you to the cross for my sins. Help me to be a servant in the manner you modeled on the cross. - Dan Jones

MARK 10:32-34
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear.

Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Strange Journey
Something about Jesus struck awe into his disciples and fear into those who traveled toward Jerusalem with them. Jesus had just turned another assumption on its head. If anyone was important, had it made, impressed God, surely it would be the rich. Wealth was a sign of God’s blessings, and no wonder, the rich man we met yesterday had excelled at obeying the 10 Commandments.

But Jesus insisted that the rich have an especially difficult time entering the kingdom of God because wealth easily distracts from life’s most important issues and distorts true priorities. This encounter may have elicited some surprise, even worry (if the rich have a hard time making it, what about me?!). But I think there is more.

Jesus walks on ahead of everyone else. Is his pace that much faster? Has he ever traveled with such haste or determination? Are there signs in his facial expression that betray intense inner feelings? Jesus certainly knew what he was getting into and, aware of his disciples’ wonderment, pulls them off the road and explains. The coming verses reveal they don’t get it.

I know what that’s like; to be puzzled by Jesus. I’ve been awed by the audacity and strangeness of his words, unsure what exactly they mean or the implications for my own life as his follower. His disciples painted four pictures of him in the Gospels. I’ve stared at those portraits many times. I’ve watched him act and react. And I still find myself walking many paces behind him wondering, sometimes in awe, other times in fear, what exactly is going on in that mind of his.

Still I follow, be it clueless or enlightened.

Jesus, you may be heading toward Jerusalem where I will display my incredible weakness and faithlessness, or you be heading toward a town where we’ll perform miracles together. Wherever you head, I’m coming with you. Thanks for inviting me along. - Mike Leamon

Tortured to Death
Torture has been in the news a lot recently. From the prison scandal of Abu Ghraib to the congressional hearings on water boarding the issue has been a top ten news item for over a year. Torture is gruesome and barbaric. It debases the individual being tortured to that of less than a living animal. It sickens us to think of our soldiers participating in such heinous acts and we are rightly outraged. Torturing people should have no place in the mindset of the Christian.

In Jesus’ day torture was as much a part of public life as driving by prisons is in our society. Crucifixion was the favored form of death by torture followed closely by severe beatings with whips and clubs as a form of close to death public punishment. The Romans had perfected crucifixion to maximize the agony of death and prolong the public display of humiliation and degradation.

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about their trip to Jerusalem, he was not planning a speaking tour or a vacation. Jesus was heading towards his death, his humiliation and suffering. With shockingly raw language Jesus paints a picture for the disciples who are in awe of what has been happening. They are benign to the purpose of their trip while simultaneously mystified and awed. Despite their inability to comprehend what is coming, Jesus marches steadily towards his God-given purpose. Jesus is in the lead, the entranced disciples following along with the confused crowd overwhelmed with fear bringing up the rear.

It is fitting this passage falls on Maundy Thursday. The day we remember the beginning of the tortures Jesus endured for our salvation. Hopefully we will be more reflective than the disciples.

Jesus, when I think upon your sacrifice I am humbled by your mercy and I’m broken inside by the knowledge my sin caused you to suffer. Thank you for taking my place, for receiving the wrath of God so I am given grace and mercy. - Dan Jones

MARK 10:17-31
As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

Surrendered Treasures
What is the one thing I hold onto the most in life? You can be sure, whatever it is for you, that is what God will put his finger on and ask you to surrender to him. I know in my life it was the farm. I loved farming, it is in my blood. I enjoyed the field work, driving tractors, even the cattle and the constant chores were not bothersome. I truly loved the farm. When God called me to be a pastor I resisted. I more than went away sad, I flat out refused to give up what I had planned for my life. I refused to surrender the farm to God for roughly six months.

In the Old Testament God told the Israelites he was a jealous God who wanted to be first place in their lives. He is still jealous for our love and will test our faith by asking us to give up the most important thing in our lives to him. Jesus pointed his finger at the one thing in the man’s life he loved more than God, his money. It might not be money for you, it might a career or business like it was for me.

Whatever it is, God knows what it is and so do you. Jesus tells us, wherever your heart is that is where your treasure will be also. I had to come to the place where my heart was on God’s plan for my life instead of my plan. When I made the swap God filled me with joy and a sense of completeness nothing else can give. He will do the same for everyone who puts Him first place in their life, submitting everything to his Lordship.

All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give. I would ever love and trust him, in his presence daily live. I surrender all. I surrender all. All to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all. - Dan Jones

Deficient Religion
Not a few Christians through the centuries have bumped into this episode and become convinced that, in order for their relationship with Jesus to advance any further, they had to give away everything – everything but the clothes on their backs.

I’ve noticed that churches, and I’m part of the problem, often encourage a vast wasteland of spiritual mediocrity. We embrace one of two forms of nominality (can I make up that word, please!).

Most the time we settle for a religion that tries to make us look like good people. We conform to church norms, especially the 10 Commandments, tithing, attending church events, praying good prayers, and saying nice things. Then everyone applauds us as saintly role models for others to follow.

Some slough the vestiges of looking good and, in the name of grace, live any “hell-of-a-way” they please. Forget the 10 Commandments, or any rules. God’s adopted me into his family only by the merit of Jesus’ death and resurrection. So I can live any ‘ol way I please.

Fear of sliding into the second nominality (indulge me!) drives the first group into look-good legalism while fear of the first nominality entrenches the latter group in their lawless living.

Few ever get beyond Commandment living, either in their slavery to it or their rebellion against it, to ask the far more fundamental and spiritually demanding question. “Is there anything – absolutely anything – in my life that keeps me from being all that Jesus wants me to be?” And if there is, I am willing to change, even if it leaves me penniless!

God of passionate relationships, I am making rather significant changes in my life right now in order to take my relationship with you to a new level. And I’m nervous about the process. Help me to be wise and harmless, and to successfully draw nearer to you. - Mike Leamon

MARK 10:13-16
One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Elves Out of Line
The scene must have looked like Christmas at the mall when Santa arrives. Parents lined up with their children in their best outfits waiting their turn to sit on Santa’s lap. When the elves get out of line, Santa erupts and threatens to eliminate them from the payroll. Meanwhile the children are caught in the middle.

I can sympathize with the disciples. They are only trying to do their job. Their work cannot be easy. They are responsible to keep food on the table, homes lined up for Jesus to stay in, people informed of when the next service will take place, proper seating at services, answering critical emails from the Pharisees, the Romans, town officials, and people Jesus chose not to heal that day. These guys were overworked and underpaid. To make matters worse, they are often rebuked by Jesus who changes tactics without any notification memo to the staff.

One day he wants to teach from a boat because the crowd is getting to close, the next he wants everyone touching him. Another day he does not want anyone to know they are even in town. Some rallies he feeds the people, other rallies he does not. His schedule is unpredictable and they are supposed to roll with the punches while constantly smiling and showing appreciation.

Pastors are disciples. We are not really in charge of the church but are expected to have everything put together and planned for a future we do not control. I admit at times it is frustrating and can be overwhelming. The hardest part of being a disciple is when the boss yells at you. No not the board, (although many board members really do believe they are the pastor’s boss). When Jesus says, “You’ve got it wrong. You’ve missed the point.” That hurts.

At times disciples need correcting too. We need to hear from Jesus when we miss the heartbeat of the Gospel. We also need affirmation from our Lord when we get things right. That’s why I am glad Jesus goes on to bless the children. Perhaps when he was done blessing the children he took the disciples and told them good job too. I know I need both, God’s affirmation and his correction.

Jesus, help me to hear the words of correction you speak to me not as personal criticism but as a revelation of your will and Gospel in my life. I long to hear your words of affirmation in my life and desire the closeness they produce. - Dan Jones

The Mud Puddle Dance
I went to Brazil last evening. What I mean is, I invited several Brazilians who have MySpace sites to become my friends. (I aim to have MySpace friends from every country.) A person known as 100% Brazilian posted this message, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

I forgot a long, long time ago how to dance in the rain, stomp through mud puddles, stick out my tongue to see how many raindrops land on it, or feel the sting of wind driven rain against my face. But I’m trying to relearn these things. In reality, I’m trying to learn what it means to be a Christ-follower.

We get too serious about living the grown up life. Doing everything right. Dotting our doctrinal “I’s”. Fitting into the cultural norms. Fulfilling responsibilities and meeting every demand. Voting for the right political candidate. Paying the bills. We forget what it means to be authentically engaged with God, we’re so distracted by getting this grown up and responsible life right.

Strip away our fussing, fuming, fretting; stressing ourselves sick , usually about stuff that doesn’t much matter when a sovereign God exists and rules, and we are free to dance in the rain, no matter how silly we look to others, what laundry mess we create, or whether we might get struck by lighting. Little children stomp through mud puddles because dad or mom is just around the corner and they can handle everything – I don’t have to worry.

What freedom. To so completely trust another that I can live in the moment – waltzing through the rain, squishing mulberries that stain my shirt, blowing fuzzy dandelions even though the lawn doesn’t need more seed for the yellow weed – this pictures the kind of persons God wants to create.

What great joy the Heavenly Father, King of all creation, must feel, when his responsible and self important grown-up children, break free to embrace sunshine and rain, with care-free exuberance, ‘cause Daddy’s got everything under control. The Kingdom of God is all about radical, some might insist, irresponsible trust.

So Jesus took little children, blessed them, and, under his breath, thanked each of them for teaching his silly, grown-up disciples a thing or two about what really matters in life. Trust daddy, run outside, find a mud puddle, and dance.

Father, full of goodness and power, help me to trust you with all the stuff grown-up life shoves into my adult face, so that, maturity and responsibility do not suffocate the mud puddle dance. - Mike Leamon

MARK 10:1-12
Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them.
Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”

“Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”

But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.”

High Road and Hard Hearts
Jesus reflects what he and the Father said together through the Old Testament prophet, M, “God hates divorce” – not divorced people, but the act of divorce. Ripping apart those who have deeply interwoven themselves, mind, body, and spirit, always leaves those involved wounded, even when they may not be capable of identifying the wound.

Notice the linkage between divorce and remarriage. For the ancient mind these are two sides of the same coin. Both assume the other. We cannot separate them into God’s approval of divorce but not remarriage. That would be like saying breathe in just don’t breathe out. Today, Jesus insists that the yin and yang of divorce and remarriage, always results in unfaithfulness to the marriage covenant, “till death do us part” – no matter its reason or who is the primary cause.

Every married person risks failing the marriage vow the moment it’s made. Why? All of us come into marriage with “hard hearts.” This malady didn’t only haunt the people in Moses’ day, but also in Jesus’ day, and ours. Human weakness – blindness to our own sins, the inability to walk in the shoes of a spouse, limited endurance, unhealed scars and ticking emotional time bombs – these, and more, compose a “hard heart.”

The issue each married Christ-follower must ask is not, “Does my Leader approve of a divorce/remarriage” (that answer is always, “no”) but “Have I trusted my Leader to help me work through all the issues I have brought to this marriage?” and “Having given my all to this work and gone the second (and third) mile, has the sad combination of spousal weaknesses conspired to take us beyond any point of marital repair?”

Admitting to a marriage that has failed to live up to God’s perfect standard, whatever the causes, confessing our inability to remain faithful to the marriage vows, and receiving God’s forgiveness and cleansing, sets the divorced person free of condemnation and freedom to find healing. Perhaps most wonderful, it frees the divorced person to move into God’s bright future, not free of complications that come from every divorce, but free of guilt.

Lord of Marriage, grant me the ability to pursue the high road of marriage with all my heart, the humility to confess my own hard heart – a reality that could easily sabotage my marriage, and the grace to be free of any condemnation toward my brothers and sisters who have endured the pain of failed marriage. - Mike Leamon

A Matter of Custom
Have you ever wondered why the “strip search, ask about every penny you spent while traveling abroad” department at the airport is called Customs? I have. What is customary about this department? The word custom originated circa the 12th century and meant habitual practice. Perhaps taxing people became such a customary practice the word customs took on the meaning of taxing goods. At any rate, the customs department at the airport is one of my least favorite areas when traveling.

I am struck by the importance of the word in our passage today. The main thought of the passage is clearly divorce, but verse one establishes the mood. In the larger context verse one is often treated as a throw away line Mark includes as a segue from one group of material to another. But in verse one we find what was customary for Jesus is not what was customary for the people of Israel.

Jesus will go out of his way to give himself to the crowds of people longing for his attention. His customary practice was to teach the crowds when they appeared. His norm was sacrificial giving. Not so with the Pharisees or people. We find Moses gave the allowance for divorce due to their hard hearts. No sacrificial sticking it out, but once offended you were free to divorce. It seems from historical record the Pharisees had broadened the reasons for divorce so people were divorcing for reasons we would cite as “no-fault” divorce today. They simply could not get along.

Jesus says these people cannot remarry for when they do they commit adultery. In an age where divorce is as common in the church as outside the church what do we do with this statement? I think Jesus speaks clearly here. People who divorce for reasons of infidelity may remarry. In Jesus’ day the offending partner would have been stoned to death thereby freeing the other party of their obligation not to remarry. In cases of no-fault divorce I think people should remain unmarried providing space and time for reconciliation. Only after the other partner marries would I condone a wedding in this type of divorce.

It seems harsh, but why should the custom of the Church reflect what is customary in the world. Perhaps if we stood firm on remarriage after divorce in some cases people would work harder at reconciliation. Our custom should be patterned after Jesus: sacrificial love for others no matter how inconvenient for us.

Jesus your practice of sacrificial love pushes me in areas I do not like to be pushed. I pray you give me grace and courage to stand with you even when your words are not popular or customary in our culture. Fill me with wisdom when people come to me for advice in tough situations. - Dan Jones

MARK 9:42-50
“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’

“For everyone will be tested with fire. Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

To Hell With Me Or...?
Hell was the garbage dump outside Jerusalem. Fire always burned their. Flies always hovered over decomposing refuse. This disgusting place became the picture of a place people garbage ended.

It’s hard for me to think of people as garbage. At first glance it contradicts the notion that “God doesn’t make junk,” and the self worth gospel popularized in the 20th century. Still, here it is; a garbage dump for people instead of banana peels and chicken bones.

By Jesus’ definition, I belong there. My hand has performed against God’s will. So have my feet and my eyes. I work hard not to cause young believers to stumble, but I have a very difficult time living at peace with some “more mature” believers.

Perhaps that’s why God allows me to go through fiery tests. These experiences shake me to the core and force me to confront my own sins and failed attempts to cut them out of my life. So, once again, I throw myself, not into Gehenna (the Greek word for this dump) but onto God’s grace and his promise that he is faithful and just to forgive me. His grace makes me useful and a blessing, despite my failures, rather than garbage.

Father of Grace, I place not only my hands, feet, and eyes, but for me, especially my mouth, in your gracious hands. Thank you for the testings that reveal my sin, purge it, and through me back onto your grace every day! - Mike Leamon

Replacement Surgery
I don’t think anyone actually takes these words of Jesus literally, at least no one in the church I pastor. Sin happens in all of our lives and no one I know has cut their hand off, or their foot off, or gouged their eyes out. Perhaps it is because we have a more theological understanding of sin. We understand that our hands do not cause us to sin, our feet do not cause us to sin; even our eyes are innocent of causing sin in our lives. Sin originates in our mind, our heart or our will. Thus the commands to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, (Rom. 12) or acknowledging that the heart is deceitful above all things, (Jeremiah 17:9) and recognizing right teaching never comes from the will of humans, but from God (2 Peter 1:21).

Some people blame all their sin on the devil. He is the root of all sin and therefore they do not have to bear the consequences or guilt of sin, Satan should. This is, “The devil made me do it” language. While we certainly can “thank” the snake for helping us down the road of sin, if we are honest, we as human beings have done a fine job of sinning on our own. Adam and Eve could have obeyed God, as Jesus did, they chose instead to disobey.

So how do we live out the words of Jesus in real life today? Blaming the devil for our sin is wrong. Ripping our heart out of our chest or surgically removing our brains is not wise. (Although I sometimes think some people I know may have actually done just that.) So are the words of Jesus here simply metaphorical or literal? What do we do?

I think the answer is yes. Take them seriously, but not on our own. I think what Jesus is pointing us towards is replacement surgery. Since sin originates in our lives in the mind, will, and heart, these need to be surgically replaced. We can’t do this! Christ can! “If anyone wants to save his life he must lose it,” Jesus says. In other words, you want to save your heart, lose it and Christ will give you a new one. You want to have the mind of Christ? Allow Christ to renew your mind into the image of the invisible God. You want a will that is surrendered to God? Die to the old self and let Christ put a new self on you.

Master surgeon thank you for operating in my life with your scalpel the Bible and your organ transplants made available through Christ. I ask that you continue administering spiritual medicine in my life via the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the wonderful healing you work in my life. - Dan Jones

MARK 9:38-41
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

Only A Mouse Hole?
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. So he, himself, insisted. The gate to eternity is as small as one person. But his followers have always tended to take a human sized doorway and turn it into a mouse hole.

Accept our understanding of the Bible or be damned. Join our group or burn in hell. Dress like us, talk like us, pray like us, live our rules or suffer banishment into the hinterlands of condemnation. I grew up in churches not too unlike this. Many of the people with whom I now worship cannot imagine authentic Christianity any other way; just like Peter, James, John and their little group.

Jesus didn’t reject those who held this egocentric definition of religion, any more than he would allow these same people to reject the “others.” After all, each of us has evil lurking within that needs exposure, forgiveness, and cleansing! That’s the response Jesus offers. Rather than rejecting those who reject, he exposes their error.

The secret to a spirituality that brings life is a life centered in Jesus. We may not belong to the group that has the most complete understanding of Jesus. (The disciples had the advantage of traveling with Jesus for three years. They had a better understanding, but still they frustrated Jesus by their dull minds!) Our understanding may be off base and inaccurate, like it was for many of the early Christians.

The early Christians struggled to get a clear understanding of Jesus, especially his relationship to God. As important as this is, Jesus seems more concerned about whether or not we make him the central authority in our lives. Does he define the nature of our spiritual lives (casting out demons) and our physical lives (cup of cold water)?

Lord Jesus, all through your time on earth you demonstrated your authority over everything, including the grave. I want to accurately understand you, but even more, I submit to your authority in every area of my life today. - Mike Leamon

Get off the wagon!
No one likes bandwagon jumpers like the people who suddenly are Giants’ fans, since they won the Super Bowl, but previously thought they had no chance at all. Either you liked the Giants and were a real fan before they played the Packers or you were not. I am not a Giants fan. I like the Bills.

True fans support their team in the good years and the bad years. It doesn’t matter what the press, other people at work, or the common guy on the street thinks of their team, they support them. Understandably, true fans get irritated with people who brag about a team they never supported until the team started winning. A true fan knows these people will only be around as long as the party is going on. As soon as the team hits a slump or misses the playoffs they will be gone to the next best thing in town.

Jesus knew this about the people John complains about. But Jesus does not get upset. On the contrary, Jesus is excited people are spreading the word. Perhaps through the process of spreading the word, they will come to personally know the Word. Jesus also knows that soon enough these people will be hurling insults at him instead of hailing him as the Messiah. He knows people are fickle.

Most of the time it is jealousy or pride that drives disciples to complain about other people doing what only disciples had done up to that point. Suddenly, other people; people who have not put in the hard time, are reaping the rewards of praise by ministering in Jesus’ name. Instead of stopping them, Jesus redirects the disciples to reality. It is not about them, it is about Jesus. Being the Messiah means suffering and death. True disciples will stay with Jesus when it hurts, everyone else will turn against him.

Jesus, forgive me for complaining about others who minister in ways I think I should be ministering in. Help me to keep my eyes on you and to stand with you through good times and bad. Help me to remember each day, ministry is not about me looking good, it is about you being glorified. - Dan Jones

MARK 9:33-37
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

Last to first
I don’t know a lot about being last in life. I was in the top 10% of my graduating class. My last name was in the middle of the alphabet, I was normally picked in the middle of the group in gym class, I was second born of 5 children. My real experience of being last came at church dinners. Maybe it was because all the Jones boys ate too much to let us go first, but every pot luck meal at church we were the last ones to eat. Normally the only pieces of ham left were some scraps and the good bowl of Mac-n-cheese was already scraped dry.

Eating last at church taught me a valuable lesson about humility and service. Not only did we eat last, we stayed until everything was cleaned up and back to normal. Being last on these few occasions was hardly a sacrifice. There was always enough food we never went away hungry, but there was always a little twinge of jealousy at the neighbors kids who were always first in line and ate large helpings of the food that would be gone by time we went through the line.

That jealousy was kept me from being last at times. I wanted to be the first in my class; I wanted to be the one people noticed. And so I worked hard, and people did notice and I was given accolades and awards, but to what end? Graciously for me, God used those church fellowship meals to remind me that some people get the scraps every day. Some people are always last.

Jesus calls me to be one of those people. To see myself not as over and above the “least of these” or even to have pity on the ones who are last. He does not call me to give them a place in line; Jesus calls me to become the last in line. He calls me to go to the end of the line so they are no longer last, I am. This is radical discipleship that I don’t find very comfortable. I confess I need to hear the words of Jesus. There are too many days I still want to be first.

Jesus, I confess to you my pride that drives me to be successful in order to hear people praise me. I confess I want to be first too often. Help me to find strength to be last and to discover the joy of service without recognition. - Dan Jones

Mike has an extended medical procedure this morning and will post again tomorrow.

MARK 9:30-32
Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

Time with the guys
Every now and then it is nice to just hang out with the people who are your closest friends. The guys who you don’t have to explain everything to, the ones you can let your hair down with and they are OK with it. These times of just hanging out are some of the most formative times in a man’s life. It is where he can wrestle with the issues facing him without facing the scathing criticism of those affected by his decisions. He knows the guys will be honest with him, not allowing him to revel in self-pity, but also supportive cheering him on to things that once seemed impossible. I imagine ladies do the same thing when they get together.

Jesus is no different. He wants to be alone with his disciples. He wants to share with them who he really is, and receive their affirmation and support. He also wants to encourage them and to assure them of his love and support.

I wonder what it was like sitting there together with Jesus sharing his heart. The disciples did not provide the best support for Jesus, but at least they listened as he talked about the future. For Jesus it must have been lonely. To never be fully understood, even by those closest to him, must have been painful.

Ministry can be like that. I know many pastors who struggle to make close friends even with other pastors. Petty jealousy and loose lips keep many pastors from sharing their deepest hurts and pains. It is almost impossible to do this with people in the church. There are always a few people a pastor will get close to but they are still always the pastor, never just one of the guys. Too bad, for even Jesus wanted that time to be just one of the guys with his disciples.

Jesus, help me to be honest before you and to see my relationship with you as one of complete trust and openness. Give me wisdom not to shut myself off from other people, but discernment with whom I open to as well. - Dan Jones

Fishy Disciples
Out of the box thinking confuses boxed fish.

I’m told that some species of fish that get accustomed to aquarium life will continue to exist within those same parameters even if they are set free into a lake. Image that. Existing within a 4’x 2’x 2’ boundary with a thirty mile lake to explore!

Many Jesus-followers are boxed fish.

Jesus talked plainly about his coming death. He explained that he would follow it by resurrection. How could the disciples not understand? It’s the power of the box. They knew only one kind of Messiah. Descriptors like king, ruler, Prince of Peace, the government will rest upon his shoulders, all acted like aquarium glass that prevented them from grasping what Jesus plainly discussed.

We are all that way. We become so defined by our own presuppositions about religion, our own entrenched understanding of life, our own prejudices, that we cannot swim beyond the box. We march through life, like an army on parade, in lockstep with everyone else in our culture or sub-culture, seldom, if ever, questioning the direction or why we take it; often oblivious to our slavish reality.

It took a radical event that shook them to their core to break free the first disciples. Staring at their decimated and disgraced Messiah limp on a Roman cross, and their glass box shattered. Sitting around an early morning shoreline fire, eating breakfast with the resurrected Jesus, they began to swim into fresh waters.

Perhaps that is another reason a cross must be at the center of deeply spiritual living. We need an event profound and radical enough to both break our boxes and reprogram the lockstep march. Jesus came to set us free by his reality. But we will only break free from our own myopic reality when we embrace his death and resurrection.

No wonder those disciples where willing to die in order to get the message of Jesus to the world.

God of broken boxes, set me free. Forgive me when I swim in the small spaces of my mind rather than the open spaces of yours. Forbid that I travel further into the Christian life only to find my mind getting smaller and smaller. - Mike Leamon

MARK 9:25-29
When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

Magical Incantations?
Words possess power to heal and destroy. Every parent knows this. So do politicians. But does the right combination of words tap into a power beyond themselves? Can certain phrases control the gods? Or the goddess, Mother Earth and her forces of nature? Or as Christians believe, the One God over all, in all, and through all?

One could accuse the Bible of sending mixed signals. It condemns the practice of witchcraft, in part because instead of placing us in a position of submission to the Almighty, it teaches ways to manipulate divine forces for good or evil (white and black magic).

Today Jesus associates prayer – words in sentences – with power over evil forces. Another time he declared, “Ask anything in my name and I will do it for you,” as if using his name could be used as a magical incantation. Many, I think, use Jesus’ name just this way. Yet, if prayer is nothing more than the right words used to get God to act according to human will, then Christianity aught not condemn paganism! The proverbial pot calls the kettle black.

Jesus’ association of prayer and this miracle must be understood in the context of his words that criticize the faithlessness of all those involved in this sad scene, including, and perhaps especially, his disciples.

Jesus does not associate prayer with power to accomplish miracles; rather, prayer draws the disciple into deep communion with God where faith flourishes. Prayer digs an ever deepening well of confidence in God, and more, it forges a life entirely defined by the mind and heart of God. This kind of existence is capable of great power, not to manipulate God, but to act in sync with God’s heart and mind for people the world over.

Almighty God, I want to live in complete communion with you. I want my heart and mind to love and know nothing except that which you love and know. Teach me the kind of prayer life that will draw me into this relationship. - Mike Leamon

Prayer
There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to do something you know you can do. I see this particularly with people who have dementia or the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. These people know there is something they should remember, they know it is there somewhere and that they used to be able to do it with no problem, but now the brain is failing them and they cannot do it.

The disciples must have felt this way. It was not a matter of disbelief on their part; it was a matter of misdirected power. Jesus tells them, this kind only comes out by prayer. The disciples were most likely using the name of Jesus, they were most likely speaking with belief and yet nothing was happening. Frustrating!

The words Jesus uses don’t sound much like a prayer; they are commands, statements with authority. Perhaps this is what prayer is: statements of authority, but not our authority. I don’t know what the disciples said, Mark does not tell us, but they evidently did not possess the authority needed. Only God does. Only God possess the authority needed, and our access to that authority is prayer.

Prayer is not simply coming to God with our laundry list of requests; it is exercising the spiritual authority of God in this world. It is claiming that God is greater than the forces of destruction and proclaiming it boldly. Jesus does just that: “Listen you spirit that is causing this, come out and never return.” No wavering, just stating God’s authority in the situation.

Jesus is able to do this because he has been in the presence of God and knows God’s authority in his own life. His own life has been submitted to this authority making him a perfect conduit to express God’s authority in the world. When our lives reflect the same submission to God as we find in Christ, we too can be a conduit of God’s authority through prayer.

Master of the universe, of all the earth and my life, I bow before you today submitting all of my life to your authority. I want to be a pure conduit of your authority in the world. Teach me to pray with confidence and in the authority of God. - Dan Jones